Automatic Age

July, 1939
which provide funds to hire at­
tendants to keep toilets clean
and sanitary.
The distribution of music and
amusement via the coin chute
supports two major divisions of
the coin machine industry. Here
again we find the coin chute re­
sponsible for the creation of new
business. By making wholesome
amusement available to everyone
at trifling cost, pin games and
other types of amusement ma­
chines have enabled factories to
expand and employ thousands of
new workers; have substantially
stimulated the market for raw
and processed materials; have
contributed heavy volume to
transportation lines, and have
furnished livelihoods to thou­
sands of operators while re­
turning a handsome income to
location owners. The same is
true of the coin-operated phono­
graph which creates new and
steady business for manufact­
urers, suppliers, operators and
locations — stimulating employ­
ment in many fields.
Lubell “Missed the Boat”
A s a n in s t r u m e n t of bu sin e ss,
and as a growing factor in dis­
tribution, the coin chute deserves
fullest recognition. What other
single mechanical development
has accomplished so much? The
coin chute, a small precision in­
strument which you can hold in
one hand, and which, to the pub­
lic, is simply a chrome-plated
coin slot and a small lever, has
created new business, new jobs,
new markets for materials — a
new industry, if you please,
which benefits at least two mil­
lion people financially, and pro­
vides convenient service, music,
amusement and merchandise for
uncounted millions of people.
Sam Lubell might have writ­
ten an article entitled “The
Magic Coin Chute” for The
Saturday Evening Post instead
of his story about “Ten Billion
Nickels.” Mr. Lubell did indicate
AUTOMATIC AGE
that there might be another side
to the story, but he evidently
didn’t see it or try to portray it.
Like the matter-of-fact tourist
who “couldn’t see the scenery
because of the mountains,” Sam
Lubell, like all others who have
13
written articles pertaining to the
coin machine industry, couldn’t
see the romance, the drama, the
real significance behind the fa­
miliar coin chute because of the
fascinating lure of the “one arm
bandits.”
Texas Cowgirl Operator on
Radio Program
A photo of “Jimm ie” Jones in her cowgirl regalia was not available for
this issue, but here she is with a gasoline-operated model plane, one of her
unusual hobbies.
O T E P H E N V I L L E , TEXAS,
has the honor of having a
pretty 18-year-old cowgirl oper­
ator named Ji mmi e Jones.
Dressed out in typical cowgirl
clothes — 10 gallon, satin shirt,
pants and Western boots — she
services thirty-five phonographs,
jar deals, salesboards and amuse­
ment devices. Her presence in
locations, attired in the feminine
regalia of the range, makes her
stand out as a very picturesque
character, and all location own­
ers and patrons of her machines
have taken to her jovial manner
in which she goes about her
route.
While on a trip to Dallas re­
cently to stock up on records and
other supplies she was ap­
proached by a radio announcer
conducting a broadcast from the
sidewalks of the city. Somewhat
mislead by the costume Jimmie
Jones was wearing, the radio an­
nouncer began to ask her ques­
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tions about life on the range,
only to find out that she was an
operator of coin operated de­
vices. Surprised to learn that
she was an operator, the an­
nouncer began to ask her ques­
tions about her business, and
Jimmie Jones sure did convince
that announcer and the listening
public that there were many nice
people in the operating business
besides the tough guys that the
press thinks there are.
Jimmie is the wife of H. M.
Jones, owner and manager of
the Jones Novelty Company. Re­
cently the two went on a deep-
sea fishing trip. Jimmie’s record
as an expert angler includes two
tarpon and many kingfish. Her
greatest ambition, however, is to
land a sail-fish. In the past she
has hooked several sail-fish but
they have always managed to
get away. Jimmie has another
hobby in the building and flying
of miniature gasoline airplanes.
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